KESS 2 KESS 2 & KESS 2 East : Sustainability

KESS 2 & KESS 2 East take steps to ensure that our team and all our partners consider sustainability in all our activities. We demonstrate this by giving meaningful consideration to the well-being of current and future generations in all that we do. By adopting this innovative and logical approach to project management and delivery we are promoting the Welsh Government’s ‘Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015)’ which became law in April 2016.

During the lifetime of KESS 2 we plan to engage in an active learning process to improve our understanding of what sustainability and well-being really means to us and our partners. We are enthusiastic about partnering with others who share the same vision and who are on a similar journey.

Penny Dowdney is leading on the Sustainability agenda with a team of Bangor University experts alongside all KESS 2 stakeholders and teams. KESS 2 is funded by European Social Funds (ESF) and this way of working is the way we have chosen to make a positive contribution to the Cross-Cutting Themes.

There are three cross-cutting themes defined for all ESF projects:

· Equal Opportunities, Gender Mainstreaming and the Welsh Language
· Sustainable Development
· Tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion

All of them can be wrapped up in the One Sustainable Development Principle.

One Sustainable Development Principle

KESS 2 and KESS 2 East uses the One Sustainable Development Principle from the Well-being of Future Generations Act (WFG Act) as our overarching guide:

We must act in a manner which seeks to ensure that the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

When designing a project we need to consider the possible impact of our decision making on the people living their lives in Wales currently, and in the future. Whilst our main motivator for bringing University academics, students and businesses together to the grand challenges is to boost the economy, we recognise that the economy is interdependent with the environment, society and culture. If we want our development initiatives to be sustainable in the long term, it is important that we consider how to improve all four aspects equally.

Five Ways of Working

To achieve this sustainability we will be adopting five ways of working, to help us work together better, avoid repeating past mistakes and tackle some of the challenges we are facing.

Long Term Thinking

We must balance short and long term solutions, meeting the needs of the present whilst safeguarding the needs of the future.

Prevention

Prevention is better than a cure. We must consider whether our proposed actions will prevent problems occurring or getting worse – or will they make things better.

Integration

We must consider how our objectives impact on each of the well-being goals and on the objectives of others.

Collaboration

Our project team must seek to act in collaboration with anyone (internal/external) that could help us meet our well-being objectives.

Involvement

It’s extremely important to involve as many relevant people (stakeholders) as possible to help us meet our collective well-being objectives, and to reflect the diversity within the area served.

Seven Well-Being Goals

We have used the seven well-being goals of the WFG Act to define our own goals. Our students, company partners and academics all aim to demonstrate that our activities contribute to the following seven well-being goals:

A more equal KESS 2 community

Enabling people to fulfil their potential regardless of background or circumstances.

A healthier KESS 2

Maximising physical and mental well-being by making right choices for the future.

A resilient KESS 2 community

Creating a healthy environment supporting social, economic and ecological resilience, a society that adapts to change.

A prosperous KESS 2 community

Contributing towards an innovative, productive, low-carbon society that uses its resources efficiently and proportionately.

A globally responsible KESS 2

Considering wider impacts of our decisions on global well-being.

A vibrant KESS 2 culture and thriving Welsh Language

Promoting and protecting culture, heritage and language.

A cohesive KESS 2 community

Creating capable, safe and well-connected communities.

This way of working has gained global recognition. This is what Nikhil Seth, UN Director of Sustainable Development, says about the Welsh Government’s approach:

“The Wales Future Generations Act captures the spirit and essence of two decades of United Nations work in the area of sustainable development and serves as a model for other regions and countries… We hope that what Wales is doing today the world will do tomorrow. Action, more than words, is the hope for our current and future generations.”

KESS 2 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

In addition to the above, to help implement and promote sustainability, KESS 2 has integrated the UN Sustainable Development Goals into our programme of activities. The United Nations declared 2020 the start of The Decade of Action, which calls for accelerating sustainable solutions to all the world’s biggest challenges.

What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals?

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) are designed to achieve a better and more sustainable future for everyone. They address global challenges, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, peace and justice. The 17 Goals are all interconnected and map onto the Welsh Future Generations Goals (outlined above).

The United Nations declared 2020 the start of The Decade of Action, which calls for accelerating sustainable solutions to all the world’s biggest challenges — ranging from poverty and gender to climate change, inequality and closing the finance gap.

If you would like to learn more, we are organising a series of webinars reflecting one UN SDG each month. We will bring together presenters from KESS staff and KESS students to explore each goal further and share more about how KESS 2 & KESS 2 East projects contribute to sustainable development.